Gravity-separator for flouring-m ills



E. T. BUTLER.

GRAVITY sBPARAToR-Fo FLOURING MILLS.

(.No Model.)

Patented July 19, 1887.

WINE-5555'. LUEmDr.-

6L. mg/ z a' @i I 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ELI T. BUTLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GRAVITY-SEPARATOR FOR FLURlNG-MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,923, dated July 19, 1887. Application Filed May (i, 1856. Serial No. 201,337. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ELI T. BUTLER, of Phila delphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gravity-Separators for Flouring-Mills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in gravity-separators for flouring-mills; and it consists in the combination of the case provided with air-openings at one end, valves which are placed in the openings, the suctionfan, the dividers, a series of chambers in the bottom of the case, and valves located at the upper edges ofthe chambers for the admission ot" air at those points, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The object of my invention is to produce a separator for Hearing-mills in which blasts of air are admitted both at the side and thebettom of the ease, so as to more perfectly separate the falling material.

Figure l is a vertical section of a machine embodying` my invention. Fig. 2 is au end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view.

A represents a suitable rectangular case, of any suitable construction, in the upper portion of which, at one end, is placed the hopper C. The vertical side of this hopper is formed by the spring-actuatedboard D, which is held pressed toward the ,roller F, placed under the discharge of the hopper to regulate the discharge of granulated material from the hopper. The roller Fslowly revolves toward the lower edge of the board D, and feeds the material from the hopper in an even, uninterrupted current as long as the roller revolves and there is material in the hopper. The material drops from hopper upon the top of the inclined board G, secured to the innersidc of one end of the case, and which board defiects the material inward toward the center of the frame.

In the upper corner of the case, opposite to the hopper,is placed the fan B, or other eqniva lent mechanism, and through the opposite end of the case are made a number of openings, a, which are regulated. by the valves H, and

which valves are made adjustable, so as to regulate the currents of air which pass through the openings. The currents of air pass from the-openings through the falling material toward the fan. The openings a, controlled by the adjustable valves, are placed at different heights, so that the currents of air will have an opportunity to act upon all of the falling material before it reaches the bottom of the case. The valves are held in any desired position by the frictional contact of their ends against the ends of the openings in which they are placed.

The bottom ofthe case is divided into a number of chambers, K, which may either be shaped as here shown or in any other way that may be preferred, and into which chambers the particles of the falling material drop, according to their gravity. The heaviest particles drop into that chamber nearest to the end of the casein which the openings are located, as they are the least affected by the currents of air which pass through the frame. In the next chamber fall the next heaviest particles, and so en.

In order to regulate the grade of the particles falling into the different chambers, there are placed at the tops of the inclined bottoms of the chambers K the dividers I, which can be moved freely back and forth, as indicated by dotted lines, and thus determine the grade of the particles in each chamber. Each one `of these dividers I is held in any desired position by means of a wire or catch, M, which projects through the side of the frame at one side of the separator, and which wire or catch is made to engage with the frame at any desired point. The particles fall upon the inclined bottom of the chambers K and slide down against the doors L, whichare hinged or fastened at their upper edges, so that they will remain closed both from their own gravity and the pressure of the outside atmosphere against them caused by the suction of thefan. When the weight of the material becomes suflicient to overcome the pressure of the door in any one of the chambers, the door is forced open and the material drops out. At the top of the vertical wall of each one of the chambers K is an opening regulated by an inwardly-opening valve, J, which isadjustablcand heldin place by the same arrangement as the divider I,

ICO

through which currents of air may be drawn l by the suction of the fan, which serve to further assist in grading the falling particles according to their gravity.

It will thus be seen that in this machine the material may beseparated into different grades, according to their gravity,by the action of the currents of air alone. particles are drawn directly to the fan and discharged into the dust-roorn or other compartment prepared to receive them.

`Instead of there being a series of openings, a, and valves I-I in the end of the case and a series of dividers in the bottom of the case, there may be, if so desired, only a single opening and valve in the end of the case, and only a single divider; but in this case there will b but two grades of material.

All of the very light ELI T. BUTLER.

Vitnesses:

D. CLINT. RoigrNsoN, ALEXANDER RICKEY. 

